Two issues to unpack. The majority of people lost are people doing dangerous things for immigration/money like trying to sail from India to Australia on a plank of wood to get better pay.

This was a submarine under water with alive people running out of air. The location was known and people monitoring were able to contact government immediately which gave them a chance. When a piece of wood is used to sail across the ocean and the boat capsizes rescuers don't know the location, no one is monitoring on shore to alert countries and they cannot survive days under water.

Rich / poor doesn't play into this but makes a great narrative to sell a story that you bought